Cultivating with Bragging System

In an instant, that patch of the void was submerged. Zhou Tong, caught within it, had his clothes torn to shreds. Violent ripples pulsed from his protective mana, and a crazed light shone in his eyes.

Bei Tangfeng's methods had taken him completely by surprise. This man was clearly only at the Ninth Heaven of the Golden Core Realm, yet the puppets he commanded were putting considerable pressure on him.

Seeing this, the assembled prodigies from the outside world grew animated. It was just as expected from a prodigy on the Golden Core Ranking. It was incredible that this young prodigy could fight across several realms and hold his own against Zhou Tong, who was considered a strong expert even within the Nascent Soul Realm.

"Saint Heir Bei Tangfeng, impressive!"

"Show him what you've got!"

...

Zhou Tong's twin blades whirled, weaving through the puppets. His figure was agile and nimble, suddenly breaking through the void to appear behind them. He intended to bypass the puppets' blockade and attack Bei Tangfeng directly.

The strike came so suddenly that before the crowd's cries of alarm could even register, the blade's cold glint was already illuminating Bei Tangfeng's face.

The next moment, a mysterious light exploded. Bei Tangfeng's figure vanished, replaced by a puppet. Runic inscriptions flashed all over its body as a brilliant radiance surged forth, causing the void to twist slightly.

"Not good!"

Zhou Tong's heart pounded. Sensing that something was terribly wrong, he swiftly fell back.

In the distance, Bei Tangfeng's figure appeared silently. The folding fan had somehow returned to his hand, and he waved it gently. With an air of grace, he softly uttered, "Explode!"

BANG!

A colossal explosion rocked the area. The surrounding void trembled as an unimaginable burst of light erupted, flooding that section of the void. Terrifying shockwaves swept outwards. Zhou Tong was sent flying backward, retreating a hundred miles before he could barely stabilize himself, looking utterly disheveled.

"Hahaha..."

"Look at him swagger now!"

"What happened to all that swagger? Not so tough now, are you?"

...

The prodigies were ecstatic. All the pressure Zhou Tong had put on them was now thrown right back in his face. Bei Tangfeng fighting an opponent from a higher realm—and winning—made them beam with vicarious pride.

What an impressive Saint Heir Xuanji... Wang Xiu watched with keen interest, though his attention was focused more on Bei Tangfeng's combat techniques.

Xuanji Cave Heaven was the only Immortal Sect in the Immortal Alliance to base its entire foundation on the Puppetry Art. As mentioned before, in the way of puppetry, the unification of man and puppet is an extremely sophisticated state to achieve. The Sanqing Manipulation Sect, in its pursuit of this state, preferred to create Armor Puppets, allowing a cultivator to perfectly merge their strength with that of the puppet.

Xuanji Cave Heaven, however, chose a different path. They created many combat styles and spells that allowed for perfect coordination with puppets, as if one soul were inhabiting multiple bodies.

Bei Tangfeng single-handedly controlled several puppets as easily as if they were his own limbs, an effortless extension of his will. His control was almost instinctual, bordering on the Dao itself. No wonder the Saint Heir Xuanji was heralded as the foremost master of the Puppetry Art among the younger generation; he truly lived up to his reputation.

...

Bei Tangfeng was the picture of elegance. Waving his folding fan, he glanced at Zhou Tong from afar. "There's always someone better, and always a higher heaven. This world is full of prodigies, and people stronger than you are a dime a dozen!"

With that, he turned and walked toward Wang Xiu.

Zhou Tong's expression was grim. He hadn't sustained any real damage. Firstly, Bei Tangfeng had only intended to teach him a lesson and hadn't used his full power. Secondly, his own cultivation level and raw power were undeniable; he couldn't be seriously injured that easily.

But the humiliation was real. He had just finished boasting when he was immediately slapped in the face. To make matters worse, his opponent was several realms beneath him. Most importantly, he had been kited and toyed with like a monkey for nearly the entire fight.

Uncontainable rage burned within him. Blood-red patterns suddenly appeared on his twin blades as his aura flared, kicking up a cloud of dust that shot toward the heavens. He then transformed into a Blood Blade, piercing through the void to slash at Bei Tangfeng's turned back.

The strike was terrifying, shaking the very void. The blood patterns spread like fissures while runes shattered—a truly world-shaking attack. He had unleashed the full power of his cultivation. This strike was lethal. If it landed, Bei Tangfeng would have almost no chance of survival.

"Despicable, a sneak attack!"

"Watch out!"

Everyone's expression changed. They shouted in alarm, their pupils constricting, while the minds of many prodigies went blank.

An intense premonition of danger washed over Bei Tangfeng. A chill ran down his spine, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He spun around and, on pure reflex, threw out a dozen metal spheres.

WHIRR! CLANK!

The metal spheres expanded one by one as countless tiny mechanisms whirred to life, transforming into a series of massive shields that arrayed themselves before him.

BOOM!

Although the shields were incredibly durable, the blood-red blade light was simply too terrifying. It pierced through all of them in an instant, barely slowing as it continued its path toward Bei Tangfeng.

At that critical moment, a figure appeared silently in front of Bei Tangfeng. He reached out a hand and caught the Blood Blade.

CLANG!

The Blood Blade hummed violently, its countless runes pulsing as it struggled. Ripples spread through the void, and a brilliant killing intent blossomed from it, threatening to annihilate everything in its path. Yet the hand that held it was as immovable as a mountain, and completely unscathed.

The sudden turn of events left everyone staring, a collective gasp rippling through the crowd. That terrifying blade light had torn through more than a dozen of Bei Tangfeng's defenses in a split second. Who on earth could catch it with their bare hand and render it helpless?

"Wang... Brother Wang?" Bei Tangfeng was stunned. A moment ago, he had been shrouded in a terrifying killing intent, his mind had gone nearly blank. But with Wang Xiu's sudden appearance, all the murderous aura was kept at bay.

Wang Xiu, dressed in white, stood with one hand behind his back, the other gripping the Blood Blade. He spoke indifferently, "Regardless of whether we are inside or outside the Holy Realm, the various Great Immortal Gates have always been branches of the same tree. Even when there is competition and friction, it should always be kept within limits..."